On open left, yesterday, David Sirota posted an article about how there are 60 Democrats in the House who have called any bill without a public option "unacceptable". And to be sure, there are. There was a big drive organized by a coalition on the left back in August and it breathed new life back into the public option. 64 House Democrats signed a letter saying that exactly that - that such a bill is "unacceptable."
And then, David quoted from the letter:
Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, for a public option with reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates - not negotiated rates - is unacceptable. [emphasis mine.]
David claims that stating that something is "unacceptable" obviously means that the members will vote against any such thing, no matter what. Without the context of the current debate and the monumental logjam that has pervaded our health insurance policy for more that half a century, that may even be a reasonable assumption. Based on that, David Sirota claims it more than likely that a bill coming out of Conference without a public option will not be able to pass in the House.
Now, let's read that again, shall we? These progressive representatives signed a letter not only saying that a bill without a public option is unacceptable, but that the public option must have its rates based on Medicare reimbursement rates.
Here is David's problem. The House bill that passed contained a public option, but it did not base its rates on Medicare. In fact, it had exactly what the letter said could not be supported - negotiated rates. Now, here is the full tally of the House vote. And here are the members who both signed the letter saying negotiated rates are "unacceptable" and then voted for a bill with negotiated rates:
- Corrine Brown
- Albio Sires
- Alcee Hastings
- Andre Carson
- Barbara Lee
- Barney Frank
- Bennie Thompson
- Bill Delahunt
- Bill Pascrell
- Bob Filner
- Carolyn Kilpatrick
- Carolyn Maloney
- Chaka Fattah
- Chellie Pingree
- Diane Watson
- Donald Payne
- Donna Edwards
- Earl Blumenauer
- Ed Towns
- Eddie Bernice Johnson
- Elijah Cummings
- Emanuel Cleaver
- Pete Stark
- Grace Napolitano
- Gwen Moore
- Hank Johnson
- Jackie Spier
- Jerry Nadler
- Jesse Jackson, Jr.
- Jim McDermott
- Jim McGovern
- John Conyers
- John Olver
- John Tierney
- John Yarmuth
- Jose Serrano
- Judy Chu
- Keith Ellison
- Laura Richardson
- Linda Sanchez
- Lloyd Doggett
- Lucille Roybal-Alard
- Luis Gutierrez
- Lynn Woolsey
- Marcia Fudge
- Marcy Kaptur
- Maurice Hinchey
- Maxine Waters
- Mazie Hirono
- Mel Watt
- Michael Honda
- Mike Capuano
- Nydia Velazquez
- Peter DeFazio
- Phil Hare
- Raul Grijalva
- Robert Wexler
- Rush Holt
- Sam Farr
- Sheila Jackson Lee
- William Lacy Clay
- Yvette Clarke
In other words, all but two (Kucinich and Massa) signatories to the letter that defined a negotiated-rate public option as "unacceptable" voted for the House bill with a negotiated-rate public option. I applaud them for doing so. They understood the usefulness of the letter - to breathe new life into the public option and ensure that the House bill included one. But these are true progressives who actually want progress - they want us to move forward as a country. And for that, they voted for a bill even though it didn't include a Medicare-rate-based public option. They, I suspect, will do so again for a bill that does not, unfortunately, include the public option but will advance the cause of health insurance reform. Plus, purely politically speaking, a bill without a public option is also likely to pick up additional Conserva-Dem votes.
Look, I am a true blue supporter of the public option. I wanted it badly. But I have to accept reality. I have to accept that a bill including the public option will not get 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate. But that does not mean I am willing to give up on health insurance reform that will insure 31 million additional Americans, vastly expand Community Health Centers, put sensible regulations in place for insurance companies to follow, and will help stop medical costs from driving people into bankruptcy. And I don't think progressive members of Congress are willing to give up either. They are true fighters. And they are real doers. They will pass what can be passed now, and continue to wage the struggle to make it better the day after the bill becomes law.